1 in 3 Brits names their car

Have you ever given your car a nickname? Well it seems you’re not alone. Far from it in fact, as around a third of British drivers have named their car, according to research.

A study of 1,000 Brits by Fiat and OnePoll found that around half of people aged between 25 and 34 always give their cars a name.

To name something in the same way as one would a pet suggests affection. So it’s no surprise that 32% of Britons are emotionally attached to their cars.

UK’s most popular car name revealedMeanwhile, a similar study by BuyaCar.co.uk has revealed that the UK’s most popular car name is…The Beast.

Cars including a diesel Vauxhall Astra, a Fiat Grande Punto and a Nissan Elgrand Van all have the name in common.

This not-so-friendly sounding name beat out rivals such as Arnie, Pixie, Leo and Suzi to the number 1 spot.

The study also revealed the naming habits of drivers in the UK. As many as 30% of women admit to naming their motor, but only 15% of men do the same.

In total, out of the close to 1,000 motorists surveyed, 139 unique car names were discovered. Each of these names was put into one of three categories – male, female, or silly.

Men were found to choose equally across all three of the categories, with women more likely to choose a less conventional name for their car – with Asterix and Bambi both coming up.

Austin Collins, the Managing Director of BuyaCar.co.uk, said: “On the face of it, our survey looks like just a bit of fun but it does reveal how attached people often are to their cars.

“There is something about cars that often makes them feel almost like a living thing with a personality. Research has often shown that drivers report a sense of having a relationship with their car and even talk about them in a similar way to how they might describe a person – for example, as ‘part of the family’.”